« Not To Kids! » réplique à Info-tabac
La Coalition ontarienne « Not To Kids! » a réagi à l’article intitulé “Not To Kids!” stirs up controversy in Ontario, de l’édition anglophone d’Info-tabac disponible sur le site Internet de Médecins pour un Canada sans fumée. Bien que l’article en question ne soit pas un éditorial, nous avons choisi de donner la parole à la présidente de la Coalition « Not To Kids » qui souhaitait apporter un point de vue différent.
La rédaction
« Not To Kids! » retort to Info-tabac
The Ontarian "Not To Kids!" Coalition reacted to the article entitled "Not To Kids!" stirs up controversy in Ontario", from the English language edition of Info-tabac available on the web site of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. Although the article in question is not an editorial, we chose to give to the president of the "Not To Kids !" Coalition the opportunity to bring a different point of view.
The Editor
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As Chair of the Ontario Not to Kids! Coalition and a public health unit director responsible for tobacco use prevention, cessation and protection programming, I must respond to the errors in the article of the September 2005 English edition of Info-tabac. It is important to clarify the misleading information and speak to the gaps in the article written about the conference presentation by the Ontario Not to Kids! Coalition. First of all, it must be made clear that the “Under 19? Forget It!” signage that the writer compares with the tobacco industry Operation ID campaign is in fact not a Not to Kids! product. The signs are produced by the Province of Ontario, Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, whose legislation requires that they be displayed prominently by tobacco retailers. Public health agencies are mandated by the provincial government to enforce the Tobacco Control Act of Ontario. The Not to Kids! Coalition work addresses two audiences - retailers and the community-at-large. The coalition’s work focuses on providing supports for health unit staff to educate retailers about the law and encourage compliance with the legal requirements. Among its many successes is an educational binder that is delivered to all retailers. The binder, and a companion video, includes information about retailer requirements under the Tobacco Control Act of Ontario (TCA) and acts as a teaching tool for employees. Emphasis is placed on the health impacts of smoking and the enforcement follow-up by Not to Kids! members is designed to build partnerships with retailers so they share the responsibility to help youth remain free of addiction to tobacco products Equally important is the work the Not to Kids! Coalition does to change attitudes within society about the acceptability and normalcy of youth smoking. As the controls around sales are increased, third-party supply of tobacco increases. The coalition’s mass media campaigns focus on the need to make it socially unacceptable for parents, adults and other youth to buy, give or supply cigarettes to anyone under 19. Coalition members build on these campaigns by implementing local activities that have an impact on youth access to tobacco and the initiation of tobacco use by youth. The key campaign message is that if you care about youth you won’t help them get hooked on tobacco. This clarification will give any of your readers who are not familiar with the Not to Kids! Coalition a clearer picture of the work it does to reduce youth smoking rates by addressing the supply of tobacco both through retailers and social supply. I invite you to visit www.ntk.ca to view more information on the Not to Kids! Coalition work. Joyce Fox, RN, BScN, MHS |
«Not To Kids!» sème la controverse en Ontario
“Not To Kids!” stirs up controversy in Ontario